This week in BPOS news is a recurring segment on the Microsoft Online Services Team Blog that covers news from all sectors of Cloud Computing and the Microsoft Online Services business suite known as the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). You can read all past This Week in BPOS News segments here. For this week in BPOS news we take a look at six ways Microsoft Online Services can increase your business’ productivity, and we examine the new support lifecycle policy for Microsoft Online Services. 1. 6 Ways Microsoft Online Services Can Increase your Business’ Productivity This week’s first BPOS story identifies six ways that Microsoft Online Services can increase your business productivity. Michael Bayon breaks down Microsoft Online Services in six categories that he believes sums up increased productivity for businesses and business users. The six ways that Microsoft Online Services can increase your Business Productivity are listed below with a brief summary: You Don’t Need to Subscribe to All Services Subscribe to the services you need and you can upgrade your services as needed in the future. You Won’t Be Strapped for Cash No start-up costs and pay per user. Predictable Costs Fixed pricing makes it easy to anticipate costs. Software Uptime 99.9% SLA commitment with independent third party auditing. Employee Productivity Software that integrates easily with pre-existed tools and new collaboration software. Instant Upgrades Instant deployment of new versions. Additionally, Michael writes that Microsoft Online Services comes with Community Support. Once you join Online Services, you are joining a large existing community. The community is active and encourages participation and support. You can read the entire article with lengthier productivity descriptions here . Are there other ways Microsoft Online Services can increase your business’ productivity? Leave your comments below. 2. Microsoft Announces a New Support Lifecycle Policy for Online Services Microsoft Online Services is excited to welcome the next generation of BPOS , otherwise known as Office 365 . With this new product comes a new transition, and the Microsoft Support Lifecycle team is “focused on bringing the proven principles of predictable and consistent Support Lifecycle policies to Online Services provided via the cloud.” In our second BPOS news piece, we take a look at how the Microsoft Support Lifecycle team is planning on supporting Microsoft Online Services users. Their blog post entitled “Microsoft Announces a New Support Lifecycle Policy for Online Services” outlines how the transition plan will support users while creating a simple and undisruptive change. This is an essential read for anyone concerned about the Online Services Support Lifecycle policy. You can grab more information about transitioning here – https://www.microsoft.com/online/transition-center.aspx . To learn more about support timelines, they are available on the MSL website: https://support.microsoft.com/gp/OSSLpolicy . How do you feel about the next generation of BPOS? Are you ready? Leave your comments below. What are your thoughts about the stories we shared with you this week? Did you see a story you want to share with us? Let us know what other topics you’d like to see. You can comment on this blog post or send an email to our community mailbox . Follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.

This week in BPOS news is a recurring segment on the Microsoft Online Services Team Blog that covers news from all sectors of Cloud Computing and the Microsoft Online Services business suite known as the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). You can read all past This Week in BPOS News segments here. For this week in BPOS news we are going global. We take a look at how cloud computing is “an unrivalled opportunity” for Ireland and how Microsoft is growing its Cloud in Malaysia. 1. Cloud computing, “an unrivalled opportunity” for Ireland *image from lonelyplanet.com We tweeted this story earlier this week from our @MSOnline account. Sociable.co writes that there are “swift efforts by Ireland” to fund cloud computing in belief that it will benefit the competitiveness of the country. Cloud computing is forecasted to bring Ireland an economic return on its investment. Microsoft has helped Ireland realize their cloud computing potential with The Goodbody Economic Consultants report, commissioned by Microsoft . The report suggests that “targeted investment by the government now, while cloud computing is in its infancy, could be economically and socially beneficial to the country.” You can Download the full report here (PDF | 1.7MB) . The article dives deeper into Ireand’s “unrivalled opportunity” and quotes Microsoft Ireland’s Managing Director Paul Rellis, “Cloud Computing will change how the world consumes technology.” The article also identifies the dollar figures behind Cloud computing in Ireland, “In financial terms the cloud could be worth €9.5 billion to the country by 2014 and create over 8,600 jobs. It says that the cloud computing market is estimated to be worth anywhere between €40 and €110 billion by 2014.” Be sure to read the entire article here and find out why the Cloud is exciting for Ireland. 2. Microsoft eyes growing local cloud market In our second BPOS story we take a look at a very promising cloud market in Malaysia. Malaysia is a growing market that is eager to take many of its local businesses to the cloud . The Malaysian Insider takes a look at Microsoft’s local Malaysian opportunity for the cloud in this article . “Microsoft Malaysia’s chief marketing and operations officer Danny Ong said uptake of Microsoft’s cloud services by local companies has been ‘very good’ since its introduction here in May last year.” The article frequently mentions the analyst firm Gartner and their supported reports of Malaysia becoming a booming economy for Cloud Computing. North America is currently leading the way in Cloud Computing adoption, but Malaysia and Ireland are two shining examples of the global need for Cloud Computing. Do you think more countries will be adopting the cloud? Leave your thoughts below. What are your thoughts about the stories we shared with you this week? Did you see a story you want to share with us? Let us know what other topics you’d like to see. You can comment on this blog post or send an email to our community mailbox . Follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.

This week in BPOS news is a recurring segment on the Microsoft Online Services Team Blog that covers news from all sectors of Cloud Computing and the Microsoft Online Services business suite known as the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). You can read all past This Week in BPOS News segments here. For this week in BPOS news we take a look at the new Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 announcement, and we get a 99.9 percent guarantee from BPOS. 1. Microsoft’s Dynamics CRM 2011 hits the cloud In our first BPOS News story we announce a new cloud offering from Microsoft, Microsoft’s Dynamics CRM 2011. CNET covers the launch story here . The announcement comes with a price drop of the service from 44 dollars to 33 dollars per user. There is also a “Cloud CRM for Less” program which CNET explains as Microsoft “ offering cash rebates on a per-user basis for companies that switch over from competing Salesforce or Oracle CRM tools.” Dynamics General Manager Brad Wilson told CNET why he was excited about this announcement. “What’s kind of cool about this right now is that this kind of price point and this type of technology lets smaller business take advantage of technology that was before only available to larger organizations,” Wilson said. “So to be able to offer it up as an on-demand service at a very affordable price really expands the access of the technology to smaller companies, and I think that’s very exciting.” What do you think of the new Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 announcement? We want to hear from you! Leave your thoughts below in the comments section. 2. Microsoft: BPOS components average 99.9-plus percent uptime In our final BPOS News story for this week , we look into the average up time for Microsoft BPOS over the past year. Microsoft offers a 99.9 percent uptime guarantee as their service level agreement or SLA. SLA’s are taken very seriously and if the 99.9% SLA cannot be met, Microsoft offers cash reimbursements. In this NetworkWorld article it claims that Microsoft has held a 99.9 uptime SLA over the past year. What do you think of the service level agreement from Microsoft BPOS? Leave your thoughts below. What are your thoughts about the stories we shared with you this week? Did you see a story you want to share with us? Let us know what other topics you’d like to see. You can comment on this blog post or send an email to our community mailbox . Follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.

This week in BPOS news is a recurring segment on the Microsoft Online Services Team Blog that covers news from all sectors of Cloud Computing and the Microsoft Online Services business suite known as the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). You can read all past This Week in BPOS News segments here. For this week in BPOS news we take a look at the new Office 365 for Education announcement, and we get a fresh look at the USDA’s move to Microsoft’s Cloud. Live@Edu grows, evolves into Office 365 for Education, leapfrogs Google Apps for Education In our first story, ZDNET Education writer Christopher Dawson takes a look at the new Office 365 offer for education that will take the cloud to the next level. Currently, Microsoft offers Live@Edu which is a set of collaboration tools aimed towards academia. Earlier this week the Office 365 blog announced that an education offering will be available. Be sure to check out the video below if you are interested in the recent Office 365 education announcement. The ZDNET article turns its focus from the Office 365 announcement to comparing the two main cloud for education solutions with Office 365 and Google Apps. The post makes a lot of interesting points that and outlines how the Office 365 education solution is the next step for Live@Edu and how it takes a competitive leap against Google Apps for education. Do you agree with the author that Office 365 for Education “leapfrogs” Google Apps for Education? Leave your comment below. US Department of Agriculture Deploys Massive Cloud Solution In our second story, we get an update on the US Department of Agriculture’s move to the Cloud. We previously discussed the start of the USDA moving 120,000 users to Microsoft’s cloud on our blog. This most recent article asks an important question, “Is cloud computing truly scalable and can a solution be rolled out quickly?” Author Ian McKenzie suggests that due to the USDA moving to Microsoft’s Cloud, the answer to both questions is yes. The article touches on other large government transformations to the cloud including “the State of California , the State of Minnesota , and New York City embracing cloud computing.” Ian also dives into the complexity of moving a governmental organization as big and dense as the USDA to the Cloud. He points out that Microsoft’s Cloud solution should help the 120,000 federal workers collaborate and engage on a greater level, while the government sector saves money through lowering costs with the Cloud. Do you think that the USDA moving to the cloud proves that cloud computing is a scalable solution that can be rolled out quickly? Leave your comments below. What are your thoughts about the stories we shared with you this week? Did you see a story you want to share with us? Let us know what other topics you’d like to see. You can comment on this blog post or send an email to our community mailbox . Follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.

Good article from Janis Rizzuto from Projects@Work about the Team Foundation Server and Project Server integration feature pack to start the year: Microsoft Beta Connects Developers, PMs 🙂 Hope you all had great holidays and back in full swing, a great Microsoft Project 2011 year in perspective.

This week in BPOS news is a recurring segment on the Microsoft Online Services Team Blog that covers news from all sectors of Cloud Computing and the Microsoft Online Services business suite known as the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). You can read all past This Week in BPOS News segments here. Happy New Year! We are back with not only the New Year, but two new BPOS stories. For this week in BPOS news we take a look at how the largest education institution in the world is increasing their productivity, and we view a chat with Microsoft’s CIO about how employees are testing the Cloud. 1. SUNY to get Microsoft’s Live@edu program SUNY stands for the State University of New York. SUNY universities across New York State feature the largest system of education institutions including universities, colleges and community colleges in the world. SUNY has 64 campuses that are a part of the Live@edu program and will allow more than 465,000 SUNY students to use Microsoft Online’s Live@edu productivity suite. In our first story, CNET discusses the new agreement between SUNY and Microsoft that brings more collaboration and productivity to students. Microsoft’s U.S. Education CTO, Cameron Evans, says that Live@edu will also help save SUNY colleges money. CNET reports that Monroe Community College, one of colleges in the SUNY system, will save $600,000 over five years. Students will also benefit from Microsoft Live@edu through new collaboration tools that will increase productivity campus wide. Is your school on Live@edu? Have you seen an increase in productivity? Leave your thoughts below. Related Stories: Kentucky Department of Education Chooses Microsoft’s Live@edu New York announces deal with Microsoft’s cloud 2. Microsoft CIO: We’re dog-fooding the cloud Infoworld.com features a discussion with Microsoft CIO Tony Scott, as they converse about Microsoft’s cloud and how employees are beta testing, or as we call it, dog-fooding. This article is a transcript of an intriguing conversation that covers topics ranging from what it’s like being a CIO of Microsoft, to how the internal beta testing, or dog-fooding, of the cloud is conducted at Microsoft. There is also some great information from Tony Scott about Office 365 and how Microsoft is beginning the internal dog-food process. Tony also discusses other cloud initiatives at Microsoft like Windows and SQL Azure. The entire transcript is 5 pages and provides some great insights and information into the mind of Microsoft’s CIO. I would recommend this piece from Infoworld.com to anyone interested in the cloud or interesting in learning more about Microsoft’s CIO. What questions would you ask Microsoft’s CIO? Are you testing Microsoft’s Cloud? Leave any of your thoughts and comments below. What are your thoughts about the stories we shared with you this week? Did you see a story you want to share with us? Let us know what other topics you’d like to see. You can comment on this blog post or send an email to our community mailbox . Follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.

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This week in BPOS news is a recurring segment on the Microsoft Online Services Team Blog that covers news from all sectors of Cloud Computing and the Microsoft Online Services business suite known as the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). You can read all past This Week in BPOS News segments here. For this week in BPOS news we take a look at what opportunities SMBs are seeing in the cloud, and we learn about a new medical innovation that is utilizing cloud computing. 1. SMBs See Opportunity in the Cloud SMBs stand for Small and Midsize Businesses, and SMBs are seeing the benefits of cloud computing. A Microsoft-sponsored survey entitled, “Cloud Computing as an Engine of Growth” questioned SMBs about the cloud. The survey is highlighted in this InformationWeek post . The numbers from the survey reflect about one third of SMBs polled see the cloud as an opportunity for their IT department to be “more strategic” and SMBs view embracers of the cloud as “innovative.” About 12% of SMBs are “Born in the cloud” which means “the primary capability for their business is through cloud technology as the leading thing that enables them to do it.” There are many other interesting stats about SMBs and

The Project Professional 2007 TimeScaleValue object can result in a COM exception, or other crash, if used several times in quick succession.

I wanted to echo Brian Smith’s latest post over on the Project Admin Blog about the release of the Project Server 2010 and 2007 CUs being live: Microsoft Project Server and SharePoint 2007 and 2010 December CU 2010 are (mostly) Live! Brian Smith 15 Dec 2010 12:23 PM Great News!